Favicon FAQ
What is the favicon?
A favicon is the small, square image that identifies a website in browser tabs, bookmarks, history, and some search results.
The short definition
Favicon is short for favorite icon. It is the small image a browser associates with a website and uses as a visual shortcut when space is limited.
A favicon does not replace the logo shown in a page header. It helps you spot the right site among open tabs, saved bookmarks, and browser history entries.
Where a favicon appears
- Next to the page title in a browser tab
- Beside saved pages in bookmarks and favorites
- In browser history and tab search
- Beside some organic search results
- In shortcuts when a site provides the required platform icons
How a website sets its favicon
A site normally declares the icon in the document <head> with a link element. Browsers can also look for /favicon.ico at the site root when no icon link is present.
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" />Most sites publish more than one file so browsers, high-density screens, iOS shortcuts, and installed web apps can select an appropriate size.
What makes a favicon work well
Start with square artwork, remove small text and thin details, and test it at 16x16 and 32x32 pixels. A letter, symbol, or simplified part of your logo usually survives the reduction better than a full wordmark.
For a deeper guide, read What Is a Favicon. You can also review the browser-facing definition in the MDN favicon glossary.
Ready to make your favicon?
Generate the common files and a ready-to-paste HTML snippet.